The coffee community is truly a connected global community - and this becomes very evident when you go to the significant coffee shows around the world. Coffee Magazine was recently in Dubai for the World of Coffee Dubai as a proud Media Partner, and it was great to see the community connected from farmers, producers, the big industry players, to the rosters and the baristas all in one space, working hard for coffee.
Coffee Magazine was a proud Media Partner to WOC Dubai 2024!
We always say that coffee is community - and that ours is an industry which is one of the most progressive, mindful and cohesive industries around, largely because of the many wonderful humans who all have coffee in their hearts.
We attended WOC Dubai in 2023 - and like many people last year - it was an exploratory visit. The show had potential, but it was smallish for a Major SCA endorsed event called “World of Coffee” but we are pleased to report that it really seems to have gained traction for a number of reasons: Firstly, DXB LIVE, the organisers of the show have used 3 halls instead of 2, which means more space (it was pretty tight for space last year!) and they have successfully attracted the global premium brands as well and the significant Middle East coffee companies, and finally…they have attracted the best coffee people.
Iain (Coffee Mag) Boram Um (WBC Champion 2023) Bogdan Prunilla (CMI) and Mel (Coffee Mag)
Australian Brewers Cup and World Runner up, Sam Corra (Nucleus Tools) demonstrates the LINK sample roaster to the local roasters.
Coffee Mag again, getting the selfies with old friends above, Cole Torode (Canadian Barista Champion) and Simon Eidodo (Ugandan Barista Champion)
2024’s show really felt more comfortable. Maybe that’s partly because we have grown our own footprint in the Middle East, and we knew a lot more familiar local faces and their businesses, but also because we saw many International coffee friends from all over the world, doing good business in Dubai.
It was a truly wonderful show - from the cupping labs which had some of the finest coffees in the world (from some incredible origins like Yemen, Panama and of course Colombia and Ethiopia) the Coffee Competitions which had some world-class competitors, to the quality of the stands, which were bigger, better and buzzing with well-thought-out activations!
Nooran Albannay made it through to the Top 3 of the UAE Barista Champs again! The title was eventually won by Michaela Ruazol from Typica Coffee while the second place went to Kemal Risyad from Archers Coffee.
The former Swiss Barista champion and extremely knowledgeable coffee academic, Andre Eiermann, gives local baristas a master-class on the fully automatic revolution of coffee machines ahead of their Latte Art competition.
One of the most popular stands at the show, which included legends like Kai Janson (Janson Coffee) in the blue cap, dealing out sips of liquid gold for the visitors.
Sucafina Specialty, was one of the significant global green coffee companies showcasing their innovation in the cupping lab - here the Top 10 cupping coffees of the experimental "A Shot in the Dark" Mushyoni Estate, Rwandan mico-lots are on the table for the crowds to enjoy.
WOC Dubai was a remarkable success - and in 2025, it will be held from 10th - 12th February, and it is definitely worth planning a trip to see this exciting coffee market as it continues to move through the gears!
Bigger and Better booths...in matching pink to our latest magazine cover!
From Durban to Dubai - Coffee Mag re-connects with Kenyan Legend and friend, Martin Shibaya - a Top 6 World Barista finalist.
